a red ribbon

  a pink ribbon

  a black ribbon

  a black rose

  a snake coiled around a staff

Correct answer

  a red ribbon

  a pink ribbon

  a black ribbon

  a black rose

  a snake coiled around a staff

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The international symbol of solidarity with people living with HIV is the red ribbon. It is believed that the red colour was chosen because of its mental association with blood and passion. The idea was supposedly inspired by the yellow ribbons worn to honour American soldiers who served in the Gulf War. The red ribbon was first worn publicly by Jeremy Irons at the Tony Awards in 1991. Do not confuse it with the pink ribbon, which is the symbol of breast cancer awareness!

Statistics: 95% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: Question 4 in the "World AIDS Day" Quiz is very similar to the question above.

  1980

  1988

  1990

  1997

  2004

Correct answer

  1980

  1988

  1990

  1997

  2004

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The concept of a World AIDS Day originated at the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention.

Statistics: 80% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: Question 11 in the "World AIDS Day" Quiz is almost identical to this question.

  February 14

  April 1

  May 19

  October 24

  December 1

Correct answer

  February 14

  April 1

  May 19

  October 24

  December 1

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The Candlelight Memorial traditionally occurs on the third Sunday of every May. This year, in the Republic of Moldova it was marked on Saturday, May 19, 2007.

Statistics: 62% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: This information can be found by performing a simple search in the News & Events section.

See also:
International AIDS Candlelight Memorial in Chisinau / Events
The International Candlelight Memorial Day in Balti / Events

  contaminated medical equipment, unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive person, mosquito bite

  sharing syringes for injecting drugs, contaminated medical equipment, hugs

  mother to child, sharing syringes for injecting drugs, sneezing and coughing

  unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive person, sharing syringes for injecting drugs, sharing tableware during meals

  unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive person, sharing syringes for injecting drugs, mother to child

Correct answer

  contaminated medical equipment, unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive person, mosquito bite

  sharing syringes for injecting drugs, contaminated medical equipment, hugs

  mother to child, sharing syringes for injecting drugs, sneezing and coughing

  unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive person, sharing syringes for injecting drugs, sharing tableware during meals

  unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive person, sharing syringes for injecting drugs, mother to child

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The only almost definite way HIV can be transmitted is by direct permeation of the virus into a person’s blood stream, as is the case of transfusion of contaminated blood, the use of contaminated medical/dental/tattooing/piercing equipment or the sharing of contaminated syringes by injecting drug users. HIV can also be transmitted by unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive person or from an HIV-positive mother to her child. The latter case, however, can be prevented in the vast majority of cases by modern medical assistance. For information on mother-to-child transmission, read the answer of the following question!

Statistics: 97% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: More detailed information about HIV transmission ways can be found in the About AIDS section.

  yes, the risk can be lowered considerably

  yes, the risk can be reduced, but only by an insignificant margin

  yes, but only when the mother contracted HIV after the conception of the child

  yes, but only if the father of the child was not HIV-positive

  no, unfortunately HIV is always passed from the mother to the child

Correct answer

  yes, the risk can be lowered considerably

  yes, the risk can be reduced, but only by an insignificant margin

  yes, but only when the mother contracted HIV after the conception of the child

  yes, but only if the father of the child was not HIV-positive

  no, unfortunately HIV is always passed from the mother to the child

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Adequate treatment and medical assistance can reduce the probability of a mother transmitting HIV to her baby from 25% to less than 2%. Timely discovery of the mother’s HIV-positive status is crucial for this purpose. An HIV-positive pregnant woman would have to take special antiretroviral treatment to prevent infection of her child. Also, HIV-positive mothers are advised not to breastfeed their babies, as this could result in HIV transmission.

Statistics: 68% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: Question 16 in the "General HIV/AIDS" Quiz provides the right answer to the question above. More detailed information about HIV transmission ways can be found in the About AIDS section.

See also: Prevention of HIV Transmission from Mother to Child National Protocols / UNAIDS Library

  blind period

  latent antibody period

  retroviral trap

  window period

  black hole

Correct answer

  blind period

  latent antibody period

  retroviral trap

  window period

  black hole

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The HIV test does NOT detect HIV. Rather, it identifies the presence of antibodies (special particles a body produces in response to an infection) to HIV in a person’s blood. It may take as long as 3 months (or, according to some, occasionally even longer) from the moment of infection till the moment when the body has generated a detectable amount of antibodies. This time is called "window period". An HIV test taken in the window period may, thus, be negative, even though the person already has HIV. Moreover, some test centres may recommend testing again 6 months from the suspected moment of infection for absolute certainty.

Statistics: 51% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: More detailed information can be found in the About AIDS section.

  semen and vaginal secretions

  perspiration and tears

  blood and semen

  breast milk and tears

  semen and breast milk

Correct answer

  semen and vaginal secretions

  perspiration and tears

  blood and semen

  breast milk and tears

  semen and breast milk

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HIV is unable to reproduce outside its living host, and does not survive long in the open air. Therefore, HIV cannot be transmitted through spitting, sneezing, coughing, and sharing tableware or tools. Likewise, one cannot get infected in swimming pools, showers or by sharing washing machines or toilet seats. Since HIV cannot survive or reproduce in the body of a mosquito or any other biting bug either, the immunodeficiency virus cannot be carried from one person to another by insects. HIV may be contained in saliva, but in extremely small amounts. Unless a person has severely damaged and bleeding gums, the person cannot contract HIV through kissing.

Statistics: 94% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: More detailed information about the ways HIV can be transmitted and the ways it can’t is available in the About AIDS section.

  only at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

  at the National AIDS Centre or the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

  at the AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) or the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

  at the National Dermatovenerological Dispensary or the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

  at the National AIDS Centre and most clinics

Correct answer

  only at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

  at the National AIDS Centre or the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

  at the AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) or the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

  at the National Dermatovenerological Dispensary or the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

  at the National AIDS Centre and most clinics

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Two types of HIV tests are available. The simplest (ELISA) can be performed in more than 10 centres throughout the country. The other one (Western Blot) is a more sophisticated test used to verify the diagnosis of the HIV-positive cases detected by ELISA. The only facility that actually performs the Western Blot test in the Republic of Moldova is the National AIDS Centre. Now most public clinics and some of the private ones take blood samples for the HIV test, send them to the nearest centre where ELISA can be performed. If the ELISA test yields a positive result, blood is sent to the National AIDS Centre for the Western Blot test to verify the diagnosis.

Statistics: 59% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: The easy part of this question is that UNAIDS was mentioned in 4 out of 5 of the answers. Since UNAIDS does not perform HIV testing and does not provide any sort of medical assistance, one could have easily realized that the correct answer is the one that does not mention UNAIDS.

See also:
National Scientific Practical Centre for AIDS Prevention and Control (NAC)
United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Moldova

  fewer than 15 million

  about 30 million

  about 40 million

  about 80 million

  over 100 million

Correct answer

  fewer than 15 million

  about 30 million

  about 40 million

  about 80 million

  over 100 million

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The estimated figure of global HIV cases at the end of 2006 circulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) was 39.5 million. A number of sources indicated an older projection of 42.0 – 42.5 million HIV cases worldwide, while some put forth yet more pessimistic figures of up to 60.0 million HIV-positive people on Earth. Therefore, the correct answer chosen in this contest was 40 million (option C). The latest epidemic update, which was issued by WHO and UNAIDS at the end of November 2007, however, claims that global HIV prevalence has levelled off. Thus, the estimated number of people living with HIV has been revised downwards from 39.5 million in 2006 to 33.2 million in 2007.

Statistics: 76% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: For more information, take a look at the 2006 and 2007 AIDS Epidemic Updates by WHO/UNAIDS in our library.

See also: 2007 AIDS epidemic update

  0

  340

  1700

  3400

  17000

Correct answer

  0

  340

  1700

  3400

  17000

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According to the Information Bulletin on HIV/AIDS Situation in the Republic of Moldova issued by the National AIDS Centre on February 14, 2007, between 1987 and the end of 2006, about 3400 HIV cases were officially registered in Moldova. The National AIDS Centre is the only institution in Moldova authorized to publish official national data on HIV/AIDS. The information bulletin is the only official statistical document approved by the Government of the Republic of Moldova.

Statistics: 79% of the contest participants answered this question correctly.
Hint: This and further statistics can be found in the Information Bulletin posted in the Library section. You are also welcome to take a look at the Statistics section on our site.